Package construction



Nov. 27, 1962 B. BORDEN PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR. BETTY 50 4205 fd/m/ flrraelvsys.

United States Patent Ofifice fiiii dl Patented Nov. 27, 1962 3,065,847 PACKAGE CGNSTRUCTHUN Betty Borden, 1635 Easterly Terrace, Los Angeles 26, Calif. Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,794 3 Claims. (Cl. 2il6-= l5.l3)

My present invention relates to packages, and it relates particularly to a novel decorative package construction adapted primarily for use in connection with some particular season or event, such as Christmas, Easter, a wedding or baby shower, a birthday, or the like. The conventional practice in wrapping gifts for special seasons or events is to enclose the various gifts in separate boxes or other packages, and if desired, to employ external wrapping having designs or color schemes thereon that are normally identified with the particular season or event for which the package is intended. Although the gifts may all be given to the same person and may all relate to a single theme such as a particular event or a season, and may even all be given by the same person, the conventional packaging procedure of separately wrapping the items does not provide for any physical cooperation or connection between the separate gifts, and fails to provide any close or distinctive identification of the group of packages with the season or event.

In view of the these and other problems in the art, it is an object of my present invention to provide a novel decorative package construction in which a plurality of separate packages are removably operatively engageable to from a single packaging unit, the unit including a relatively large base package member, with one or more separate, smaller package members being removably magnetically attachable to the upper surface of the base package member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel package construction of the character described which includes a relatively large base package member having a sheet of magnetic material disposed adjacent to the top Wall thereof, and one or more smaller packages each containing a permanent magnet member disposed within or adjacent to its bottom wall, whereby the smaller package members may be removably magnetically attached to the top wall of the larger package member, thus providing a package unit in which a plurality of related items may be separately packaged and yet retained as a unitary group.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel package construction of the character described in which one or more smaller packages are magnetically removably attachable to the upper surface of a relatively large base package member, and in which a decorative member is attached to and extends upwardly from the top wall of the relatively large base package member, this decorative member having a shape which is peculiarly distinctive of some particular season or event, whereby the entire package unit provides physical coupling for a plurality of separately wrapped gifts directed to that season or event and distinctively characterizes all of these associated gifts as pertaining to that particular season or event, and whereby the packaging unit as a whole may provide a permanent storage facility for the gifts, or for other items such as jewelry or the like, thus providing a permanent reminder of the particular season or event.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the instant invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a presently preferred package construction in accordance with my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of my preferred package construction shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating some presently preferred internal details of construction.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through one of my smaller package or container units illustrating the preferred construction thereof.

Referring to the drawing, the presently preferred embodiment of my invention shown comprises a base member ltl, preferably a generally fiat, square or rectangular box; a decorative member 12 integrally attached to the top portion of the base member lit) and extending upwardly therefrom; and one or more container units 14, preferably comprising boxes, the container units 14 being substantially smaller than the base member if and being removably attachable to the top of the base member 10 by means hereinafter set forth in detail.

My presently preferred base member 10 includes a bottom receptacle portion 16 which opens upwardly and which is composed of a rentangular bottom wall 18 having side walls 20 extending upwardly therefrom. An optional projection or flange 22 may be provide which extends horizontally outwardly from the bottom edges of the side walls 20, and which may form an extension of the bottom wall 1%.

The base member 10 also includes cover portion 24 adapted to be slidably engaged over the receptacle portion 16, and comprising a rectangular top wall 26 and depending side Walls 23.

It will thus be seen that the base member 10, comprising the bottom receptacle portions 16 and the cover portion 24, is a box within which a gift or other item may be enclosed. It is to be understood, however, that the base member 10 may comprise other container forms within the scope of the present invention. For example, the base member it may comprise a housing (not shown) having a bottom wall, a top wall, and three side walls, with a drawer slidably engageable in the housing. Another alternative construction for base member 10 (not shown) would be a bottom receptacle having a hinged top member.

integrally attached to the upper surface of top Wall 26 of the cover portion 24 of base member 10 is a sheet 39 of magnetic material; the sheet 30 preferably, but not necessarily, covers substantially the entire area of top wall 26. Although a continuous sheet 39 of the magnetic material has been illustrated in the drawing, it is to be understood that this sheet may be provided in a plurality of separate parts or may alternatively comprise a porous or perforated sheet.

While the sheet 30 of magnetic material shown in the drawings is disposed over the top of the rectangular top Wall 26 of the cover portion of the base member, it is to be understood that the sheet 39 may be disposed directly underneath the top wall 26, or may be positioned between a plurality of laminations of the top wall 26, without departing from the present invention. If desired, an outer covering or wrapping sheet may be disposed over the sheet 30 of magnetic material in much the same manner as the magnetic sheet is covered in the smaller container or package member shown in FIGURE 3 and here inafter described in detail.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the draw ings the season or event with which the combined package unit is associated is Christmas, whereby the decorative member 12 that is integrally attached to the cover portion 24 of the base member ill comprises a small representation of a Christmas tree. A presently preferred form of this Christmas tree decorative member 12 is a relatively long pine cone suitably decorated.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the decorative member 12 includes a central portion 32 having a depending pedestal member 34 integrally attached thereto. A tubular shaft 36 is axially disposed through the pedestal member 34 and into the central portion 32 of the decorative member 12, the shaft 36 having an axial passage 38 therethrough. A transverse opening 40 in the decorative member 12 provides communication between the tubular shaft passage 38 and the outside of the decorative member 12. The tubular shaft 36 is provided with an externally threaded lower end 42 which depends below the bottom of the pedestal member 34, and which projects downwardly through a suitable central opening 43 through the cover portion 24 of the base member 16, with a nut 44 threadedly engaged over the end 42 of shaft 36 to integrally attach the decorative member 12 to the cover portion 24 of base member it When the decorative member 12 is in the form of a Christmas tree generally as illustrated in the drawing, I prefer to provide a plurality of ornaments '26, and a string of lights 48 operatively connected to a conventional electric cord 50. The cord Sit, after leaving the lights 48, passes through the lateral opening 40 and the axial passage 38 in the tubular shaft 36, and thence through the inside of the base member and out of the side of base member 10 through an upwardly directed slot 52 in one of the side walls 29 and a downwardly directed notch or recess 54 in one of the side walls 28. It will be appreciated that this lighting arrangement is desirable primarily in the Christmas tree embodiment of the decorative member 12, and may not be desirable for certain other embodiments.

The package construction in accordance with my invention will embody a decorative member 12 which will differ according to the season or event to be characterized by the package construction. Thus, while the decorative member 12 will be in the form of a Christmas tree for use of the package construction in connection with the Christmas season, it may be in the form of a bunny for Easter time, a doll dressed as a bride for a wedding shower, a toy crib for a baby shower, or the like. These examples of designs for the decorative member 12 are given by way of example only, and are not intended to be limiting, either as to the particular decorative member embodied for a particular season or occasion, or as to the various seasons or occasions intended to be covered by the present invention.

Although I have illustrated a plurality of the relatively small container units 14 which are removably operatively connected to the top of the base member 10, it will be understood that the use of a single one of the container units 14 is within the scope of the present invention. Each of the smaller container units 14 preferably comprises a box having a bottom receptacle portion and a cover portion. The receptacle portion 56 preferably comprises a rectangular bottom wall 58 with upwardly directed side walls 60. A relatively small permanent magnet member 62 is integrally attached to the upper surface of the bottom wall 58, preferably by a suitable adhesive, and is covered by a false bottom member 64- which seats against the top of the magnet member 62. The false bottom 64 is parallel to the bottom wall 58, and since a relatively thin magnet member 62 is employed it is difficult for the casual observer to determine the presence of the magnet 62.

The cover portion 66 of each of the relatively small container units 14 includes a rectangular top wall 68 with depending side walls 70, the cover portion 66 being slidably engageable over the receptacle portion 56 to provide an enclosure for receiving a gift or other item of merchandise.

In order that one or more of the smaller size container units 14 may be removably secured to the tops of others of the container units 14, some of the container units 14 may be provided with a sheet 72 of magnetic material integrally attached to the top wall 68 of the cover portion 66. A convenient arrangement is to attach the sheet 72 of magnetic material against the upper surface of the top wall 68, and then to provide an outer paper wrapping member 74 which covers the sheet 72 of magnetic material.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a novel package construction which provides for the removable physical coupling of a plurality of differently wrapped gift items or other items of merchandise all of which are directed to a common theme, such as a particular season or event, with a decorative member mechanically coupled to the packages and peculiarly distinctive of the particular theme to which all of the packaged items relate.

By affixing the decorative member 12 to the top of the primary package unit, the base member 19, and disposing a plurality of the smaller, secondary package units 14 on the upper surface of the base member 10 about the decorative member 12, the overall appearance of the package unit will provide an excellent miniature representation of a conventional real-life scene associated with the particular season or event. For example, the arrangement shown in the drawing distinctly characterizes the typical reallife arrangement of a large Christmas tree having a number of gifts disposed at random about its base. However, by providing means for magnetically attaching the smaller packages to the upper surface of the base package, the parts will at all times cooperate as a single unit, and will provide a permanent and re-usable package structure.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A package construction comprising a rectangular receptacle portion having a bottom Wall and upstanding side walls; a rectangular cover portion that is slidable over said receptacle portion and has a top wall that is parallel with said bottom wall and depending side walls that are parallel with said upstanding side walls of said receptacle; a sheet of magnetic material bonded to the exterior surface of said top wall and having an area substantially commensurate with the area of said top wall; a decorative design centrally attached to and extending upwardly from said cover portion and resting on the magnetic sheet of material thereof; a container unit removably coupled to said top wall comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls; a magnet bonded to the interior surface of said bottom wall; a false bottom wall resting on said magnet, parallel to and spaced from said bottom wall of said container unit; a cover that is slidable over said receptacle and has a top wall that is parallel to said false bottom, and depending sides that are parallel to the upwardly extending sides of said receptacle of said container unit; a sheet of magnetic material bonded to the exterior surface of said top wall of said cover of said container unit and having an area substantially commensurate with the area of said top wall; and an ornamental covering placed over said sheet of magnetic material of said container unit.

2. A package construction which comprises: a first container member in the form of a box having a bottom receptacle portion consisting of a flat bottom wall and upwardly directed side walls and a top cover portion adapted to slidably fit over said bottom receptacle portion, the top cover portion of said first container member consisting of a flat top wall and depending side walls; a sheet of magnetic material rigidly secured to said first container member immediately adjacent and parallel to said top wall, said sheet of magnetic material having an area substantially commensurate with the area of said top wall; a second container member substantially smaller than said first container member, said second container member being in the form of a box and having a bottom receptacle portion consisting of a flat bottom wall and upwardly di- 5 rccted side Wails and a top cover portion adapted to slidably lit over said bottom receptacle portion, the top cover portion of said second container member consisting of a flat top wall and depending side Walls; and a permanent magnet member rigidly secured to said receptacle portion of said second container member immediately adjacent to the upper inside surface of the flat bottom Wall thereof; and a false bottom member comprising a flat sheet of material mounted inside said bottom receptacle portion of said second container member above said permanent magnet member and substantially parallel to said bottom Wail of said second container member, whereby said second container member is removably magnetically attachable to the top of said first container member at any desired point on said top Wall of said first container member, With said bottom Wall of said second container member being adjacent to said top wall of said first container member.

3. A package construction as defined in claim 2 which is adapted to characterize a particular theme and to contain a plurality of items of merchandise related to said References fitted in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 407,477 Ezell July 23, 1889 425,768 Ezell Apr. 15, 1890 1,729,518 Sept. 24, 1929 2,612,989 Harrison Oct. 7, 1952 2,825,447 Kurland Mar. 4, 1953 

